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QPAD Unveils World's First USB NKRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

Brad Chacos
Nov 23, 2011

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Let’s face it: stock keyboards just won’t cut it in Battlefield 3 or CoD: MW3, especially when you’re caught flat-footed by attackers while in the midst of getting your virtual act together. Key jamming and ghosting can be a real problem with older or low-end keyboards, but not with the MK-85, a new offering from Swedish manufacturer QPAD. The company claims the MK-85 “is the world's first mechanical keyboard offering full N-key roll over via USB,” so you can get your multi-key presses on without those pesky PS/2 cables.

There are other gamer-friendly features, too, including individual red backlights for each key, a removable wrist rest, spare USB and audio ports, software for multiple gamer profiles, and programming functions. As for the keys themselves, some may love them, and some may hate them: the Cherry Red MX switches should be plenty responsive enough, but they lack any audible or tactile feedback, which is good for folks who prefer silent typing, but bad for folks who like a physical response when a key is pressed.

The company also unveiled the MK-50, which offers the same basic build and NKRO functionality as the MK-85, but
sans
backlights, extra ports or programming capabilities. Expect the MK-85 to hit the streets sometime in December for $200, while the stripped-down MK-50 will be available by the end of November for roughly half that price.

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